Desktop cellular phones, such as GSM (“Global System for Mobile Communication”) desktop cellular phones, as well as other cellular phones, due to their mobile nature, are susceptible to several security issues that do not affect traditional desktop phones. For example, a GSM desktop cellular phone may be removed from its intended location and used to place and receive calls, and incur charges, from an unauthorized location. Additionally, a GSM cellular phone typically requires a SIM (“Subscriber Identity Module”) card to place and receive calls, and to perform other operations. Because the SIM cards inserted into GSM desktop phones are generally removable, and typically reusable in other GSM cellular phones, the potential exists for improper use of SIM cards, as well as improper use of phones with unauthorized SIM cards.
An employee of a company, for example, may remove a SIM card, provided by the employer, from the employee's work-issued desktop cellular phone, and use the SIM card in another cellular phone, without authorization from the employer. In such a case, charges incurred using the SIM card would likely be billed to the employer. Similarly, an employee could use an outside SIM card in the employee's work-issued desktop cellular phone to place unauthorized personal calls during work hours, which could lead to lower employee productivity. Thus, a need exists for improved security features in desktop cellular phones.